I was thinking it looked like some sort of Journey to the center of the earth drill machine.

Then it turned into some sort of Retro-rod bumper with polishing buffer action!

Its really quite a beautiful piece. All going back to Artist factor. Its a tool... but its pretty.

Form follows function. Its pretty cause it is a really nice tool.. and its pretty cause its all shiny. And the shininess.. although its fun, and looks good...really helps. Bumping a part you have been polishing for 20 minutes onto a sharp edged, not very smooth rotating mass will leave a mark.In this case.. it shouldnt do anything.

I use my lathe to polish as well, I have been working on a MT3 arbour because I have hit the chuck.It felt like a baseball bat to the knuckles, lucky though only a cut and bruise.I use the lathe for a lot of things, a few weeks ago I wound a coil for an engine I was working on.Back to the polishing though, nice job with the arbour.I was using a mop on a bench grinder and the speed is way too fast, I lost more parts across the room than I finished.Thats why I went to the lathe.-B-

This should be quite within your capabilities... I've just taken a butchers at all your posts and if you can make some of that gear then you can make this!

It might be a little big for your lathe mind! Depends on the mop size I suppose?

The arbour is purchased and is "soft" steel on the large end that I machined. (M2 taper arbours are quite a bit smaller.) So cuts pretty easily. Then if you can drill and tap a hole, then you can sort this out in no time

There is certainly no need to make one if you have something to do the job anyway.... Most people convert bench grinders. I just simply do not have the luxury of space!

Slightly But it's my thread so....

The lathe and mill manual work takes time... Even though I'd had college instruction (in '91! ) I still made huge amounts of swarf just making shapes, trying to cut domes, cones and all sorts of odd shapes by hand using the two handles simultaneously just to get the feel of the machines.

I don't think it matters who you are in this hobby.... (IMHO) We're all still teaching ourselves new things every time we make something. Be it stuffing a teddy bear to operating various machines

That's what makes it fun

Well I'm rambling.... Nothing new

I'll try to keep up with some of your other projects.... I like the look of the car

Yeh I may have a look and see if I have any blank arbours lying around, I think my problem is that I mostly work with aluminium & brass, have a done a little bit of mild steel but having a small lathe means it takes a long time.

Although I am saving up for a new lathe & mill, just trying to decide at the moment which ones to get (been looking at the New ones that RDG tools stock)

I think I may convert the current lathe over to CNC then as soon as I can figure out how to connect two shafts together while only having access to the center of one (needs a photo I guess).

I hate doing the polishing but I do polish everything I make, I jsut can't help it, although I never sand it enough.

Also been looking at making a vibratory polisher but just have too many things I want to make

The list so far:RC car thingyConvert lathe to CNCLow temp Stirling enginesome form of IC engine (looking for plans)Segway clone (just for the challenge, would never bee seen on one)Unidirectional Eyeballs that follow you around the room (don't ask)aswell as a number of electronic projects for my fathers model railway

Only doing the RC car as I have a fair bit of stuff lying around that I can use, The rest I am mostly waiting on funds, need some big diameter perspex tube for the stirling, need some motors for the segway, eyeballs on hold until I learn to drill an accurate hole through the top/middle of a tube and have it come out at the same location on the bottom.

Plus having to go to work reduces my workshop time

But I do seem to be in their a lot more since my wife decided she was gonna get a horse and go riding every day after work (If I had wanted to do that I would have no chance getting it past her)

bogstandard

Welcome to the club on having a tuit list. You will most probably find yours rather small (the tuit list) compared to a few others on here.

I don't know what part of the UK you are from, but if you are ever passing my way, I could easily chop a lump off the perspex tubing I have.

Now regarding this four legged gluepot (hoss) that is only used in the evening, maybe you should be looking for a way for it to earn it's keep during the time it is standing idle and unused. Treadmill maybe, for generating power.

Today I decided to make a lathe arbor for a polishing mop and start to learn the technique. The arbor is pretty simple. Started with a 6" piece of 2" diameter 6061 rod. Turned one end down to 1" diameter for 1.5" length. On the other end I drilled and tapped for a length of 1/2-13 threaded rod. The mops that I have have 1/2" holes, so I put one over the rod, add a 2" diameter washer and a nut from my mill camp kit, and it's ready to go. I am using this with a collet chuck (for safety), hence the 1" diameter for mounting in a 5C collet. With the mop about 5" from the collet nose and the nose itself several inches long, I have a pretty good space for keeping the hands clear and also for maneuvering larger parts.

I tried it a bit on some aluminum using the black compound, but I knew I needed to come back in the house and review both the video and the Caswell web page. I'll be blinging on the beam engine parts first.